Overcoat



Sept. 8, 1953 l.. SUNDERLAND ETAL 2,651,041

ovERcoAT Filed Feb. '7, 1951 l a sheets-sheet l Spt- 8, 1953 1m SUNDERLAND ETAL 2,651,041

OVERCOAT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. '7, 1951 L. SUNDERLAND ET AL 2,651,041

Sept. 8, 1953 ovERqoAT Filed Feb. 7, 1951 Sheets-Sheet 15 Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERCOAT Application February 7, 1951. Serial No. 209,834

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to overcoats especially of the character known as topcoats which are provided with removable liners usually designated as warmers.

A purpose of the invention is to secure a warmer on the inside of an overcoat with less discomfort to the user and less likelihood of the warmer becoming misplaced.

A further purpose is to simplify and reduce the cost of installing warmers in overcoats.

A further purpose is to permit carrying the slide fasteners which attach the warmer into the channels of the sides of the overcoat closer to the end of the channels while minimizing the likelihood of ruiiling or displacing the channel walls.

A further purpose is to give the user of the overcoat more freedom by reducing the restriction on motion imposed by the Warmer.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings we have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerous embodiments in which our invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 is an elevation of an overcoat of the invention showing the warmer partially installed, with the channel walls turned back to illustrate the slide fasteners.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, omitting the handup loop.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary inside elevation showing the coat and warmer turned inside out to illustrate more clearly the structure at the sleeve openings.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the inside of the coat at the collar with the inside wall of the channel folded back and the warmer button detached from the buttonhole tab, the edge of the warmer being folded back to show the buttonhole.

In the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

Overcoats, and topcoats especially, are widely worn which are provided with permanent partial linings and in addition have removable linings, not intended to be worn as separate garments, which are attached to the insides of the coats in cold weather and usually known as warmers.

Considerable diiiiculty has been found in the art in attaching the warmers in a manner which is simple and inexpensive from the standpoint of manufacture, easy and convenient from the standpoint of installation and removal by the user, and effective and comfortable when worn. Many of the prior art systems have depended upon the employment of several buttons or other fastenings at the inside of the collar as well as slide fasteners at the inside of the facings. with a result that the buttons cause discomfort to the user both when the warmer is installed, and also when the coat is Worn without the warmer. In some cases the warmer or the inside ap of the warmer have tended to become displaced, creating discomfort and spoiling the appearance of the inside of the coat.

In accordance with the present invention, slide fasteners are used at the inner edges of the facings in suitable channels to secure the warmer to the coat, and the channels terminate short of the center of the collar. Unlike the prior practice, however, the ends of the channels adjoining the collar are open instead of closed. Whereas in the prior practice the closing of the collar ends of the channels created blind pockets which necessitated stopping the slide fastener from 11/2 inch to 21/2 inches away from the collar ends of the channels, by the present invention using open-ended channels, the slide fasteners are carried fully to the ends or at least within less than 1/ inch of the collar ends of the channels. This means that the warmer has from 2 to 4 inches more support around the edges near the collar so that the placement of buttons between the slide fastener and the center of the collar at each side, which was formerly the practice, is eliminated. This likewise avoids the discomfort caused by such buttons. The collar ends of the channels, instead of being rectangular, are cut on a .bias or curve, thus reducing the likelihood that they might be forced up to expose the slide fastener and create an uncomfortable lump near the collar.

The fact that the collar ends of the channels areopen makes it much easier to install slide fasteners in the eld when the coat as initially sold is not provided with slide fasteners, or to replace defective slide fasteners.

In accordance with the present invention the discomfort caused by a button at the center of the inside of the collar when the warmer is not worn is avoided by employing a buttonhole tab and securing the corresponding button on the warmer.

In the prior practice, the upper ends of the sleeve openings of the Warmer have tended to pull on the shoulder of the user, especially when the arm is raised. This tends to distort the Warmer and the coat, displacing the proper attachments between the warmer and the coat and giving the user an uncomfortable feeling of restraint. We find that this difficulty can be avoided by cutting back or slitting the top of the arm openings of the warmer, suitably for a distance of 1% inches to 2 inches toward the center of the shoulder. The extra freedom thus gained overcomes this difficulty.

Considering now the embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings, We illustra-te -an overcoat 2i] having a collar 2|, facings l22 which extend along lateral edges 23, sleeve openings -24 and a bottom 24'. The collar is joined to the facings by a suitable seam suggested at 2|'.

On the inside of each facing at the edge toward the center` of the coat, a channel 25 extends from the bottom ofthe coat 'at 2t to an upper end 21 which is adjacent to but slightly removed from the center of the collar. The upper end 21 is open and free as bestseen in Figures 4 and and the flap 28 which extends inwardly to form the channel is suitably curvedor biased as shown to prevent the creation of a free corner which might tend to fold back and form aflump. The fla-p 28 is desirably finished by a binding 30 as shownin Figure 5.

One-half of a slide fastener or zipper 3| extends longitudinally through the channel 25 from a pointf32 near the bottom and terminates at approximately the upper end of the channel adjoining the collar at 33. We nd it desirable to run the slide fastener at 33 to a point within 1A? inch of the end of the channel adjoining the collar, thus greatly increasing the support provided to the edge of the warmer over that possible in popular prior art forms. A Warmer 34 is provided for insertion inside the coat when the coldness of the weather justifies. The warmer has arm openings 3E, lateral edges 31 and a bottom edge 38. Along the lateral edges 31 over the length of the slide fastener 3| we provide a cooperating slide fastener 40 which runs from the points 32 to 33 as already described. The cooperating slide fastener 4|l when connected with the slide fastener half 3| is concealed by the flap 28 of the channel and thus remains in the channel as best seen in Figure 1.

To hold the-center of the warmer between the upper ends 33 where the slide fasteners terminate, we provide a fastening at the'center of the -inside of the coat immediately below the collar. While it will be understood -that various types of fastenings can be used at this point, it is considered that the fastening here disclosed is preferable to other possible forms as it holds the warmer in place satisfactorily and does not cause discomfort when the warmer is removed. A button 4| is sewed on vthe outside ofthe warmer at the center near the top, and'this engages a buttonhole d2 at the inside of the center of the coat immediately below the collar 2|. While the buttonhole could of course be made in vany suitable manner as in a lining orthe like, it is decidedly preferable to sew a buttonholetab 43 onfthe inside of the coat inside thepermanent lining layer `44 as by stitches` 45 (Figure 2). The buttonhole `The normal hang-up loop A46 is desirably placed `side thereof.

inside.

which is not equipped for the warmer by sewing or otherwise 'securing the slide fastener portions 3| in the -channels. This is facilitated by being able to openth'e ends of the channels toward the collar. The buttonhole tab is then seWed in at the -top immediately beneath the collar on the The Warmer is then readily inserted in the coat by securing the slide fastener portions V40 to the slide fastener portions 3| adjoinig the facings, and then inserting the button 4| in the buttonhole 42.

The warmer is held in placefsatisfactorily ad- -joining the'collar by the fact that the slide fasteners extend -closer to the center of the collar than in Vany lprior art constructions, so that the single fastening at the center of -the collar is adequate to lhold the warmer Without additional fastening at the collar between the center fastening'and the slide fasteners.

The `upper end 21 of the channel remains fiat as shown at the right in Figure 1 (the curling up of thelend vat the left in Figure 1 is not normal but lis shown merely `to illustrate the construction). In order to remove the warmer when it is not desired, itis merely necessary to detach the slide fasteners and separate the button from the buttonhole. The coatcan then be worn without the warmer in perfect comfort as the flaps 28 of the channels do not tend to curl up-and the buttonhole tab is not uncomfortable at the collar.

In view of our invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet .individual whim or particular need will .doubtless become evident to others skilledin the art, to-obtain all or part of the benefits of our .invention without copying the Vstructure shown, 'and we, therefore, claim all such insofaras .theyfall Within the reasonable spirit and scope of our claims.

Having thus described our invention what we `claim as new and desire-to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. An overcoat having a body covering portion and aneck portion, said overcoat being provided with a front opening, theedges of the front'open- 'ing having inside facings, the facings having inof the'neck portion of the coat .andthe flapsbeing open attheir upper ends, slide fasteners secured to the coat and extending through the vchannels -to'approximately the ends adjoining theneck portionfa removable warmer lining fitting into the channels undeicthevaps and inside ltlievneck portion, extendingout the ends of the channels toward the center of the neck portion in va 'continucuslycurved edge and having slide'fasteners secured to-the portion of the warmer in the channels and cooperating with the Islide f-as- Yteners 'secured tothe coat, the `portion of the Warmer fat the center'of the collar extending directly in prolongation of the portion inthe channels, and v.a cooperating fastening between the uppercenter ofthe warmer lining-andthe center of the coat at the inside of the neck portion of the coat.

2. An overcoat having a body covering portion and a neck portion, said overcoat being provided with a front opening, the edges of the front opening having inside facings, the facings having inwardly directed flaps providing channels extending along the insides of the facings, the channel flaps terminating adjacent the respective sides of the neck portion of the coat and the flaps being open at their upper ends, slide fasteners secured to the coat and extending through the channels to approximately the ends adjoining the neck portion, a removable Warmer lining fitting into the channels under the flaps and inside the neck portion, extending out the ends of the channels toward the center of the neck portion in a continuously curved edge and having slide fasteners secured to the portion of the warmer in the channels and cooperating with the slide fas- 20 teners secured to the coat, the portion of the warmer at the center of the collar extending directly in prolongation of the portion in the channels, a buttonhole tab at the inside upper center of the neck portion of the coat and a button at the outside of the warmer lining engaging in the buttonhole tab, the button and buttonhole being the only fastening of the Warmer between the ends of the slide fasteners.

LOUIS SUNDERLAND.

ETI-IEL FIORINE.

I. IRVING BERGER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,233,567 Levinsohn Mar. 4, 1941 2,244,454 Freda et al June 3, 1941 2,308,171 Greenholtz Jan. 12, 1943 

